The Week in Jazz is your roundup of new and noteworthy stories from the jazz world. It’s a one-stop destination for the music news you need to know. Let’s take it from the top.
Noteworthy
Carnegie Hall Announces Teen Musicians Selected for NYO Jazz in Summer 2024: Carnegie Hall announced the names of the 22 young musicians chosen from across the United States for NYO Jazz, an intensive summer program that nurtures and showcases the talents of exceptional young American jazz instrumentalists aged 16-19. Led by artistic director Sean Jones, NYO Jazz players have the opportunity to train with some of America’s most celebrated jazz artists who will lead in-depth training workshops and master classes. A highlight of the residency will be NYO Jazz’s Carnegie Hall performance on July 20, led by Jones and featuring vocalist Alicia Olatuja as a special guest. More here.
New Shabaka Video: Shabaka has shared a video for “Insecurities,” a new track featuring Moses Sumney from his debut solo album, Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace, available now on Impulse! Records. Watch it via the player below. This new release finds Shabaka turning his energies towards a softer sound with woodwinds and flutes at the forefront, and we included it in our list of ten new albums released in April 2024 that you need to know about.
Kai Spatzier Wins 2024 BMI Future Jazz Masters Award: The BMI Foundation, Inc., recently announced LA-based jazz musician Kai Spatzier as the winner of the 2024 BMI Future Jazz Masters Award. The announcement was made on April 12, at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Annual Jazz Masters Awards Dinner, held in celebration of the NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. More here.
New Madeleine Peyroux Video: Singer/songwriter has released a touching video for her new track, “Showman Dan,” written in honor of her longtime friend and mentor Daniel William Fitzgerald, also known as Showman Dan, who passed away in 2017. The video features performance footage, joyful home movies and personal photos honoring the charismatic and giving entertainer. Watch it via the player below. The song appears on Peyroux’s forthcoming album, Let’s Walk, which will be released on June 28 on Thirty Tigers.
Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Inventions Release: On June 21, Zappa Records/UMe will release a five-hour show by Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention at L.A.’s Whisky A Go Go in 1968. Originally intended for a live release, the recording remained mostly unheard until now. Produced by Ahmet Zappa and Joe Travers, the 5-LP set compiles everything The Mothers of Inventions played across their three sets that night, and will also be available on CD and digital platforms. Additionally, a 2-LP version with highlights from the concert will also be available. Pre-order here.
New Albums
Dan Weiss, Even Odds (Cygnus): Drummer Dan Weiss experiments with diverse approaches to composition and improvisation on his daring and compelling new trio album, Even Odds. The album challenges alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón and pianist Matt Mitchell, both longtime collaborators, with Weiss’ inventive drum grooves and heady compositions.
David Leon, Bird’s Eye (Pyroclastic): Miami-born, New York-based saxophonist and composer David Leon showcases a fusion of Afro-Cuban and Korean traditional music in his latest album, Bird’s Eye. Inspired by his studies with master percussionist Manley “Piri” López and the formation of a dynamic trio with Korean-born gayagum player DoYeon Kim and exploratory percussionist/artist Lesley Mok, the record showcases innovative jazz compositions that draw inspiration from diverse cultural influences.
Chris Rottmayer, Being (Shifting Paradigm): Being is jazz pianist Chris Rottmayer’s fourth album release and contains all original compositions performed by his quartet, including Russ Johnson on trumpet and flugelhorn, Matt Endres on drums and Rufus Reid on acoustic bass. Being is a collection of original music, written as part of a study of the jazz pianist Mulgrew Miller and his recordings with the Woody Shaw Quintet.
Kandace Springs, Run Your Race (SRP): After celebrating the legacy of iconic female vocalists with her 2020 album, The Women Who Raised Me, Kandace Springs showcases her own compositional prowess in a brand new album full of original songs. Run Your Race, named for her late father, track star and musician Kenneth “Scat” Springs, was produced by Kandace alongside Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken for SRP Records, which released Rihanna’s first seven albums.
Live Music and Festival News
YolanDa Brown Confirms First Ever U.S. Tour: After many years of success in her home country of England, saxophonist YolanDa Brown will embark on her first-ever tour of the United States. Her “Coming to America” tour will kick off on May 26 at New York’s Joe’s Pub and continue onto Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Minneapolis and Seattle. Click here for a full list of upcoming tour dates.
Buena Vista Social Orchestra Announce U.S. Tour Dates: The Buena Vista Social Orchestra, under the direction of original Buena Vista Social Club member Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos, has announced a 23-date U.S. tour for this summer and fall. The tour will launch on September 5 in Jacksonville, Oregon, and will include stops in Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Orlando and more. Click here for all upcoming tour dates.
92NY Announces Jazz in July Festival: The 92nd Street Y, New York, has announced the program of the 39th season of its Jazz and July festival, the first edition under the artistic directorship of Aaron Diehl. Taking place from July 17-27, this year’s Jazz in July will feature Kenny Barron, Etienne Charles, Benny Green, Marilyn Maye, Ekep Nkwelle, Tyshawn Sorey, Isaiah J. Thompson, Warren Wolf and more. Its six concerts will also be viewable online, with streams available for 72 hours after the initial broadcast. More here.
Carnegie Hall Citywide Announces 2024 Summer Concert Lineup: Carnegie Hall has announced the summer concert schedule for Carnegie Hall Citywise, the Hall’s free concert series that brings a diverse lineup of performances from a variety of musical genres to neighborhoods throughout New York City. The jazz summer lineup will include performances by multi-instrumentalist and bandleader of The Late Show Band Louis Cato, Cameroonian-American jazz vocalist Ekep Nkwelle, The Pedrito Martinez Group and OKAN, among others. More here.
Featured photo courtesy of Universal Music Group.
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